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October 18, 2024

The Ultimate Guide to the Best Designer Bags

Source: photo-lime/Shutterstock

Designer handbags are an empowering statement piece, boosting your fashion confidence for years with their timeless appeal. But buying a luxury handbag is a big decision and a significant investment, so it’s crucial to carefully consider your budget and style preferences.

Review the eight best designer bags, their standout features, and where to buy one for less cash.

Choosing the best designer handbag: Key factors

Picking the right luxury handbag is a difficult choice. These purses are not only pricey but will also be a go-to accessory you want to pair with countless looks. 

Here are the main considerations to remember before you shop.

Consider your style

Any luxury bag won’t do—it must match your personal style and current wardrobe. Even if you’ve always wanted a Prada bag, buying one with a modern silhouette won’t align with your look if you only wear vintage clothes.

Consider your preferred style aesthetic, thinking of colors and shapes that will suit what you wear most. Opt for a tan bag if you’re all about neutral tones, a bold red one if you love colorful looks, or a black option if you need something that matches everything.

Pro tip: Look at the metal detailing on the purse and match it to your usual jewelry to subtly enhance your outfits.

Determine a budget 

Set your desired budget and stick to it—the price tag of a designer handbag mirrors its quality, so they typically average $1,000 to $5,000. 

Choose the maximum amount you would spend on a luxury bag, and set money aside until you’ve reached your goal. Budgets differ for everyone, and it’s best to be honest with yourself about what you’re willing to pay. If you buy a designer handbag, save enough to buy the one you want. Settling on your second or third choice will still be pricey, but you won’t be satisfied.

Do you need a little extra cash in your budget? Tidy up your closet by selling your clothes online, and you’ll get store credit for that dream bag.

Choose new or secondhand

While a brand-new handbag from a luxury retailer is exciting, a like-new piece carries the same quality with a lower price tag.

The main advantage of buying new is guaranteed authenticity. Although fake luxury purses are on the market, getting a new bag straight from the brand ensures a legitimate purchase. 

However, we always recommend thrifting secondhand handbags. Buying preloved items is more affordable and opens you up to limited edition or discontinued pieces. It also reduces waste and demand, lowering your fashion footprint.

There’s no need to worry about authenticity if you shop at reliable online shops. Stores like ThredUp have exclusive authentication teams and an elaborate process to ensure every item is the real deal.

Think about practicality

Buying a designer bag is thrilling, but you don’t want to spoil the excitement by getting something you can’t use as intended. Think about what you need your dream bag for—there are different types of purses for daily use, work, and formal occasions.

If you want an everyday bag for errands and dates, it should be durable and have just enough room for your wallet, keys, and phone. But if it’s for work or school, you might need extra space for a laptop or tablet.

8 top-rated designer handbags

Whether you’re looking for an iconic Hermès Birkin or a more practical, affordable Saint Laurent LouLou, you’ll find something that suits your budget and vibe. Browse the eight best luxury bags to start your collection or find your next stunning piece. 

1. Louis Vuitton Neverfull

A Louis Vuitton Neverfull handbag.
Source: ThredUp

Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull is a tote with a simple, chic silhouette. This bag is a classic, so while it’s instantly recognizable, it’s also lowkey and modest.

We love the Neverfull’s spacious interior. It comes in three sizes—PM, MM, and GM—and even the smallest can hold the basics plus a tablet. But the largest size? This luxe bag has enough room to carry all your essentials, plus a laptop, a water bottle, and a jacket in case it gets chilly.

The Neverfull is available in various colors, including neutral tones, bright rainbow shades, and even vibrant, limited-edition patterns.

We have a large selection of Louis Vuitton Neverfulls at ThredUp, including different styles, sizes, and colors, starting at only $1,049.00.

2. Prada Galleria

A light gray Prada Galleria handbag.
Source: ThredUp

The Prada Galleria is a beautiful bridge between eras. Its sharp angles complement a modern look but give it a nearly 1940s vibe that’s striking with vintage clothing. The boxy design also adds a professional, sophisticated feeling that makes it an excellent work bag.

This purse is larger than it looks. It holds the basics without weighing you down, making it the best everyday designer bag. However, we recommend using it as a top-handle bag, as its crossbody strap is narrow and gets a bit uncomfortable after a long day.

The Galleria is known for its subdued look and is mainly seen in black and tan, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t available in dozens of bright colors. 

Thrift striking like-new Prada bags at ThredUp, starting at only $175.99.

3. Chanel Classic Flap

A white Chanel Classic Flap handbag with a golden chain.
Source: ThredUp

The Chanel Classic Flap is one of the most popular Chanel bags. It’s iconic, elegant, and goes with everything. 

This timeless bag comes in small and medium, but both sizes are smaller than most other handbags. Either option is ideal for casual trips and date nights when you only need the basics.

The Classic Flap comes in multiple colors—gray, tan, and olive—but our top choice is the iconic black.

Chanel raises the price of this piece every year, so thrift it for less on ThredUp, starting at $809.99.

4. Fendi Peekaboo

A pale pink Fendi Peekaboo handbag.
Source: ThredUp

The Fendi Peekaboo is eye-catching with its unique, angular trapezoidal shape, but it’s also a practical daily purse. It’s fashionable and bold yet understated—there’s barely any branding, giving it a subtle and elegant appeal.

This purse isn’t big enough for a laptop, but it has plenty of room for larger essentials like makeup bags, bottles of lotion, and oversized sunglasses.

The Fendi Peekaboo comes in various colors and materials, including multicolored interlaced leather and dark blue chenille.

Find Fendi Peekaboo bags in many unique colors and styles on ThredUp, starting at $879.99.

5. Hermès Birkin 

A brown Hermès Birkin handbag.
Source: ThredUp

The Hermès Birkin is truly an investment—some experts say it can double in value in just five years. This bag is the ultimate statement piece, immediately conveying exclusivity and status.

The Birkin comes in many different sizes. The 25 is equal to an average handbag and can handle everyday basics, while the 40 is large enough for a laptop, water bottle, and a makeup bag. Many Birkins have a lengthy top handle and double as shoulder bags.

The Hermès Birkin is available in many colors, but we love how many shades of brown it comes in, including warm golden tones to cool smokey tans.

You can score this high-end bag for less on ThredUp, with prices starting at $8,699.99.

6. Gucci Horsebit

A Gucci Horsebit handbag.
Source: ThredUp

The Gucci Horsebit 1955 has a simplistic, boxy-but-rounded shape and chic vintage vibe. The name comes from the sleek equestrian bit design on the front flap, which conjures up images of other retro pieces like loafers.

The most popular version is the original shoulder bag, which comes in three sizes—mini, small, and medium. These are modest sizes and won’t fit anything too big, but they’re all great choices for daily use and date nights.

This bag comes in branded patterns and neutral tones, but we love it best in bold greens, oranges, and pinks that help you build an eye-grabbing 1960s look.

Find one of these timeless bags on ThredUp today, starting at $714.99.

7. Saint Laurent LouLou

A Saint Laurent LouLou handbag.
Source: ThredUp

The Yves Saint Laurent LouLou is a bag with practical yet fashion-forward vibes. It’s adaptable and easy to flex to whatever outfit you’re in, whether it’s a classy cocktail dress or a simple cardigan and jeans.

This purse comes in four sizes: toy, small, medium, and large. Small is the most popular and has enough space for daily essentials. While the medium and large options are spacious, they aren’t quite big enough to be work bags.

No vibrant colors here—the LouLou is the ideal bag for neutral, understated aesthetics and is available in colors like black, beige, and sage.

Thrift one of these stunning pieces on ThredUp, starting at $1,174.99.

8. Dior Saddle

A Dior Saddle bag.
Source: ThredUp

The Dior Saddle bag was introduced in 1999 and still holds an iconic early 2000s vibe. The asymmetrical silhouette adds a playful, abstract touch to a chic luxury item.

Despite its asymmetrical shape, this bag holds plenty—lip balm, a cardholder, keys, a phone, and hand sanitizer—making it a perfect daily bag.

Your choices are endless when it comes to designs. The Dior Saddle bag comes in neutrals, bright colors, branded materials, and special edition patterns, including floral embroidery.

Get this Noughties statement bag on ThredUp, starting at $1,044.99.

Find the best designer bag for you on ThredUp

ThredUp is the perfect place to start your designer bag collection sustainably and affordably. Our vast library of exclusive brands allows you to find like-new luxury bags that fit your style and budget.

Unsure if a bag suits your aesthetic? Use Style Chat to generate an outfit, see it on a person, and then shop the suggested items.

With ThredUp, there’s no need to worry about authenticity. Our rigorous authentication process and dedicated team of experts demonstrate our deep commitment to quality. We use in-house authentication technology and extensive research to ensure every item is trustworthy and legitimate.